Using film screenings to raise public awareness of mental health

Mental Health Movie Monthly was launched in 2016 at Robert Gordon University by two lecturers with the aim of improving understanding around mental health and increasing empathy with people who experience mental health issues. Films chosen for their potential for fruitful debate are shown, followed by an open discussion in which all members of the … More

In 2015 Disabled Access Day, 16 March, began as a day to celebrate good access and to create opportunities for people to try something new. The day was very much about highlighting the fantastic access that already exists in places, experiences such as going on a touch tour, enjoying a relaxed performance, sensory experiences, signed events, level access and of course a warm welcome! Often these activities and experiences are hard to arrange or create a sense of anxiety and fear.

Cinemas across the country offer access for people who may have visible or hidden disabilities, as well as offering specific accessible screenings, such as subtitled, audio described, BSL interpreted, relaxed environment, autism-friendly, and/or dementia-friendly screenings.

UK events

Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings

Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings

BFI Statistical Yearbook 2018

Presents the most comprehensive picture of film in the UK and the performance of British films abroad during 2017. This publication is one of the ways the BFI delivers on its commitment to evidence-based policy for film.

AccessAble (formerly known as Disability Go) create Accessibility Guides. These are a result of an assessment with 125,000 venues individually surveyed and kept up to date. These guides are revisited once every 12 months to reassess any changes. The process is as below:

• Accessibility Guides are created following a detailed survey of each venue
o This ensures the information matches the same level of detail and consistency across all our 125,000 different Guides with over 1,000 pieces of information per venue

• Following the survey, the information is then collated and assembled within an Accessibility Guide template specific for that type of venue
o The templates have been developed continuously over our last 17 years engagement with over 1,600 different disability groups

• There is also produce an internal analysis report which contrasts the surveyors information against national best practice (BS8300:2017)
o This enables you to understand how you can make improvements in a structured approach over time, based on an independent assessment

• The Accessibility Guide is then available on the AccessAble website and also via our mobile app but also as a direct link within another website
o More than 1.7 million different people have used our Accessibility Guides in the last 12 months

• AccessAble will remain in contact throughout the year to make sure the Guide is kept up to date and AccessAble will arrange for our surveyors to return to survey any structural changes in 12 months
o Accuracy is incredibly important, all Accessibility Guides on AccessAble are accurate within a 12 month period.

An example of a Guide for a cinema is here: Stratford East AccessAble Picturehouse Guide.

Here is a document written by AccessAble on the AccessAble guides.